Fence



(No Model.)

J. G, CHAMBERS & L. BYERS.

FENCE.

r S a Y 1 m w m m M M w /v I p p a M \A F- V. x J i M m 40 F E .Q 4. G M Eaassxa Awmmd m M i v w m fly. m n: \X if k w T UNITED STATES PATENT C arion.

JOHN G. CHAMBERS AND LAFAYETTE BYERS, OF THORNTOW'N, INDIANA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,656, dated August 18, 1885.

Application filed February 16, 1895. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN G. CHAMBERs and LAFAYETTE BYERs, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Thorntown, in the county of Boone and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it 'appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of our improved fence. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through one of the panels and the adjoining two posts. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line as x in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line y y in Fig. 2.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to fences; and it has for its object to provide a fence which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency, and

in the construction of which short rails-such as old worm-fence rails with the defective ends cut off-1nay be utilized with satisfactory re sults.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A A designate the posts, which are set in the ground a distance apart which is equal to the length of the rails which it is intended to use in the con struction of the fence. Resting and supported upon the said posts are the top or cap rails, B B, the ends of each of which rest upon the upper ends of two contiguous posts, reaching about to the center of the upper ends of said posts and abutting against the ends of the adjoining cap-rails. The ends of the cap-rails are secured upon the supporting-posts by means of metallic caps O O, straddling the ends of the rails and the upper ends of the posts, and secured to the front and rear sides of the latter by means of screws, bolts, nails, or in any other suitable manner. By employing the broad metallic caps O O a considerable saving of material will be effected, as short rails-such as old worm-fence rails with the defective ends cut off (and which would be otherwise almost valueless)may be successfully employed for the cap-rails, as it is not necessary for the ends of the said rails to come in contact with or bear against one another, only a sufficient length of the end of each rail being required to extend over the top of the posts to support the said rails in their operative position, the broad caps bearing tightly down upon the ends of the cap-rails, binding them firmly up on the ends of the posts and effectually preventingthem from workingloose. When, however, the cap-rails are of sufficient length to permit of their ends abutting against one another, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, this arrangement serves to brace and strengthen the said rails longitudinally, and serves as an additional means to prevent the cap-rails from working loose, being far more effective for this purpose than where the ends of the cap-rails are merely overlapped over the top of the posts, which is the general method of construction.

The panels of the fence are constructed of rails D D, connected near the ends by means of wires E E, which are bent so as to form loops F F, in which the bottom rail is supported, and above which the said wires are crossed in zigzag fashion, or twisted, so as to form a vertical series of loops, in which the several rails constituting the panel are supported, as clearly shown in the drawings hereto annexed. The ends of the supporting-wires are twisted together around and above the caprail, from which the panel is thus suspended.

The lower ends of the supporting-wires E E are connected at a point above the bottom loops, F, with the adjacent posts A by means of wire bands G, which are stapled to said posts, thus making the panels secure and preventing swaying of the fence. These wire bands are drawn down at the sides of the posts on each side, thus causing the panels to be securely fastened and preventing them from being pushed to either side, which would not be the case if the fastening were only on one side.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood.

The construct-ion of our improved fence is simple and not very expensive. Short rails, which would be otherwise almost valueless, may be successfully used in the construction of a durable and substantial fence, and the individual panels may be readily detached,when desired, and removed from place to place.

We are aware that fences have been heretofore constructed comprising panels composed of rails suspended from the cap-rails by means of interwoven wires, the lower ends of the said panels being connected to the post by means of a wire secured to one side of the post and to the adjacent panel-rails; and we are also aware that fences have been heretofore constructed in which, in combination with a rigid panel, aflat metallic cap has been employed for securing the ends of the cross-bars of the said rigid panels in posit-ion, and we do not therefore claim such construction broadly; but

\Vhat we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The improved fence herein shown and described, the same consisting of the posts, the cap rails arranged as described, the broad caps straddling the ends of the cap-rails and the upper ends of the posts, the panels consisting of rails connected by wires and supported from the cap-rails, and the wire bands encircling the lower ends of the panel-wires and the posts and secured to the opposite sides of the post in the manner shown and described, all constructed and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose shown and described.-

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. CHAMBERS. LAFAYETTE BYERS. Witnesses: v

RICHARD E. NIVEN, JOHN GLovER. 

